An Iowa woman, aged 46, was apprehended after allegedly igniting a fire on the porch of an unfamiliar residence, claiming she was a witch and the house bore a sign stating “Witches Welcome.” The woman, identified as Michelle Young, was taken into custody on Tuesday and faces a serious misdemeanor charge for reckless use of fire or explosive or destructive device, as per court documents.
The incident occurred in Burlington, Iowa, where local police responded to a distress call from a homeowner in the 2200 block of Vineyard Avenue. The call was made around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday after the homeowner, who was not at home at the time, received a motion alert from her security camera. She informed the dispatcher that an unknown woman had started a fire on her porch.
Upon arrival, first responders found Young at the scene. She initially claimed that a friend resided in the house, but later admitted to starting the fire on the porch. The Burlington Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire promptly, resulting in minimal damage to the property.
Young was subsequently arrested, and a search revealed she was in possession of drug paraphernalia, leading to an additional misdemeanor charge. According to a report from The Hawk Eye, Young also informed the police that she had been wandering the area, collecting random items before arriving at the residence.
Young stated that she believed the house belonged to her friend. After knocking on the front door three times with no response, she noticed a sign that read, “Witches Welcome.” Identifying herself as a witch, she decided to set some clothing and a few of the items she had gathered on fire. She stressed that she did not intend for the fire to cause harm or damage to the property.
Young is currently held at the Des Moines County Jail with a bond set at $5,000. She is due to appear in court for her preliminary hearing on the afternoon of March 29.